BANGKOK, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday called the European Commission's removal of a yellow card on Thailand's fishing industry a "historic success" of his government.

Prayut thanked the authorities under guidance of Deputy Prime Ministers Prawit Wongsuwan and Chatchai Sarikulya for successful crackdowns on the illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing with respect to the alleged employment of undocumented migrant workers, mostly Myannar nationals, as crew members of fishing boats inside and outside of Thailand's territorial waters.

The authorities have taken measures to see to it that Thailand's fisheries will get rid of IUU problems and comply with international standards, and any migrant workers will be no longer abused aboard trawlers or at seafood processing factories.

Thailand's anti-IUU measures, taken by the authorities over the last four years, have eventually prompted the EC to remove the country from its list of yellow-carded, IUU-ridden countries, the prime minister commented.

The anti-IUU measures, including the legalization of Myanmar migrant workers as well as health care and welfare benefits for them, will be carried out on sustainable basis, whereas Thailand's fishing industry has high stakes in the exporting of frozen seafood products to the European Union member states and elsewhere around the world, according to Prayut.